Nanomerics Ltd., a private speciality pharmaceutical company today announced that the Company had been granted patent protection in Canada for the ocular use of its Molecular Envelope Technology (MET) drug delivery system. The patent (CA2966592), granted by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office joins other similar patents granted in multiple territories and takes Nanomerics' patent protection of its ocular franchise, in Canada, to 2035.
Nanomerics' MET enables the efficient delivery of drugs to the front and back of the eye using transparent and oil-free eye drops. Nanomerics' MET is a non-irritant delivery system for hydrophobic and polyanionic drugs and, crucially, the technology is also an ocular penetration enhancer. The technology delivers up to 18 fold higher drug levels to the ocular surface tissues when compared to eye drop suspensions, with no detectable plasma exposure. This allows a lower drug concentration to be used in Nanomerics' eye drops and provides an additional safety benefit. In preclinical rabbit models, Nanomerics' MET also enables the delivery of therapeutic levels of active pharmaceutical ingredients to the retina, using eye drops.
Nanomerics' MET has been used to formulate eye drops such as: OC134, indicated for severe allergic eye disease and OC137, indicated for the treatment of retinal diseases.
Nanomerics is currently executing an OC134 Phase I clinical trial project. The conclusion of trial will transform the company to a clinical stage company and enable Nanomerics' MET to be used for a variety of ophthalmic active pharmaceutical ingredients. Positive results from this clinical study will allow the company to fully exploit Nanomerics' MET and deliver the potential benefits of this technology to patients with ocular conditions. Nanomerics has a pipeline of ophthalmic medicine candidates.
Nanomerics' MET also underpins a number of Nanomerics' central nervous system assets. Noteworthy among these is Envelta™, a nasal spray powder, which is being developed as a pain therapeutic. Envelta™ has been out-licensed by Nanomerics to Virpax Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRPX). Envelta™ is being developed by Virpax Pharmaceuticals in collaboration with the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). Nanomerics also has other collaborations with companies aiming to develop central nervous system assets using its MET.
Nanomerics is based in state of the art laboratories in North London. Nanomerics' Chief Scientific Officer, Professor Ijeoma F. Uchegbu, says, "we are delighted with the granting of this patent in a key commercial territory and look forward to generating clinical results for the benefit of ophthalmology patients."
